Dispensing apparatus



May 11, 1948.

S. PINANSKI DI'SPENS ING APPARATUS v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1947IIIHIII S. PINANSKI DISPENSING APPARATUS May 11, 194:8,

Filed May 2, 1947 4 sheets-sheet 4 III II Fatentecl May 11, 1948 UNITEDSTATES P NT OFFICE 2,441,250 I DISPENSING APPARATUS Samuel Pinanski,Brookline, Mass. V l Application May 2, 1947, Serial 9. 745,527

91Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for preserving and dispensingcomestibles of a type which are to be delivered hot and crisp to thepurchaser, for instance popped corn, potato chips, etc., and moreparticularly to the pro-,

chamber to maintain the material warm and crisp are old. Examples arefound in my copending application Serial No. 583,810, filed March 20,1945, entitled Dispensing apparatus and method of treating popped corn,now Patent Number 2,423,342, and in Kelly Patents Nos. 2,005,501 and1,973,347, dated June 18, 1935, and January 19, 1933, respectively. Whenthe supply of heated material, for example popped corn, becomes depletedin the main storage chamber, it must either be replenished with coolmaterial or with a separate supply of warm material. The cost ofproviding and heating a separate supply of warm material is so expensivethat, so far as I know, such a method has not been used. The use of coolmaterial for replenishment frequently results in dispensing to customerspopped corn, or the like, which has not been warmed for a sufficientperiod thereby creating dissatisfaction of customers and the loss ofgood will and future sales. Accordingly it is necessary or advisable foran attendant to carefully observe the contents of the mainstorage'chamber and to refill it with cool material soon enough so thatan adequate warming period or interval will elapse before the addedmaterial is dispensed. This either requires an extra attendant or theinterruption of sales by a single attendant and the consequent loss ofbusiness.

The present inventio has for one of its objects the provision of anauxiliary storage chamber in combination with the main storage cham berof a preserving and dispensing apparatus which eliminates the aforesaiddisadvantages of prior art dispensing devices and:methds. Other objectsare the provision of 'apreserve stat and heating coil supplied throughthe conduit whose sensitively responsive the blower; l

ing and dispensing apparatus which may be operated by a single attendantto provide a continuous supply of warm and crisp comestible; such anapparatus which is economical to manufacture and simple to operate; andsuch an apparatus which maybe easily and cheaply installed in,-orcombinedwith, various makes and types of dispensing apparatus which arenow, or which may hereafter be, available or in use.

A further object is to provide such a dispensing apparatus which, whennot in use, may be tightly closed to prevent the entry of dust and dirt.

Other and further objects and advantages of "the inventionwill beapparent from the follow- 15 panying drawing in which:

ing description and by reference to the accom- Fig. 1 is a view in sideelevation ratus embodying the invention, brokenaway,

of an appawith certain parts and with the dispensing drawer shown inoperative dispensing or open position;

Fig. 215" a view in front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.1;

Fig.3 is a plan'view of the apparatus of Fig. 1

with parts broken "away and with one of the slideable bottom wallportions of the auxiliary storage chamber shown in partially openposition;

. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 44 of Fig.3; and 4 Fig. 5 isan enlarged section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2, with the front doorshown in open position and the dispensing drawer shown in closedposition. 4 I

I The numeral lfl'designates a cabinet which houses a suitablemotordriven blower ll, hot air sleeve 0r casing l2, distributing box 13,thermol5. Electrical current is Hifrom any suitable source, the conduitlfientering the distributing 'box I3"from which the conduits l1 and 18lead to the blower motor (not shown) and the heating coil 15,respectively. The thermostat M, element is exposed to the air withintheica'sing I 2, or which alternatively, if desired may be exposed tothe air within the main storage chamber l9, controls the flow of currentthrough the cable Hi to the heating ele- -mentl5.. x

Air may; be *drawnin through the grille 20 by lfandthe air is blownupwardly 3 through the conduit l2 to the main storage chamber l9, asmore fully described hereinafter. A plenum chamber 2! is located beneaththe main storage chamber 19. Its walls consist of the imperforate sidewall 22, the imperforate bottom wall 23, the perforate top Wall 24, theimperforate flange of the wall 24 and/ or the imperforate back wall 26of the dispensing drawer.

The walls of the main storage chamber [9, in a preferred construction,consist to a major extent of sheet metal and glass. The perforate wall24 which forms the top of the plenum chamber also serves as the bottomwall of the main storage chamber. The imperforate end walls 26 and 21are of glass and ;are substantiallysemicircular in horizontal section.The imperforate back wall 28 is made of metal and is substantiallystraight. It extends between the rear vertical edges of the end walls 26and 21. The perforate rnetalanember 29 is secured in spaced relationshipforwardly of the back wall 28 and with itprovides-afiue 30 for the warmair which is delivered .to. the plenum chamber 2| through the casing 12.

The top of the main storage chamberidsonsists of the imperiorateg endtop members 4|] and .4! (Figs. 3 a 4), th im e ora e ea top member. 42and the imperforate [cover top mem- .ber .43 WhiCh-iS secured to therear rtopmember .bya pair of hingesAA (-Fig.;5) iIheglower arms of thecover supporting members :45 .-are rigidly secured to-the -rear top:member s4 2andt=the upper narms :thereof .-function to support :thecover :43 when it is elevated, eas illustrated. When the auxiliarystorage chamber 346 J is rexnoved, a -fill- .ing aperture-4T is.provideddn thertqpof-themain r storage chamber t9 which issubstantially the sizeof the cover top member 43 and ;which-:may =b.e.closed by lowering the cover 43 about the hinges 2 54 thereby to .againvprovide ,a substanvtially air and dust -tight main storage chamber ilheend top :members and M are provided with spaced iflanges 48-49 andfined! which receive the upper ends ot the glass panels '52.! and 264,respectively. Each .of :these end top members is provided with ;anupwardly 3extending flange 54 (Fig. 4) whichfil-lPPQItt itherendssof;the auxiliary storage chamber :45 gwhen it is in place ;.transverselyof the 'fittin aperture @41 ;and which abut the end edge ilan esfis Fig.15-) of ,the -,cover.43 when the auxiliary chamber 46 51s removed andthe cover 43 is closed.

Thegfiange-S fionftharearpdgeof the-:topmember 42 extends across the due30 and {serves to deflect .downward1y;hot air ieing ithrough the hue.The lflange -51 on the :iront edge or :the atop member 42 (-Fig. 5)serves to form a substantially airtight seal between the back :of ;theauxiliary storage chamber 46 when the latter is in place and-betweentherback ifiange 58 of the cover 43 when the coverisplosed.

The vertical channel members .60 and .51 (Figs. 2 ,and 5) are secured:to the members 22, A8 and 5 0 land they receive the .forwards .ends :of.the glass panels 126* and {21, respectively. The :angle member62 (Fi.5) extends between-the .channel-membersjfilkand fil'atithextop thereofandzthe angle memb er 63 extends .between ithem at :the bottom :thereof.The members 150, '61, E2 and 53 form .the sides of ail-(opening which:is .normally {closed ibyga front idOOI' comprising the glass panel 155,frame as, ahi-nges 51 .and .catch .68. The upper edge of the door formsa support fffll the cover .43 when 'tthe latter is .closed.

*llhe riorward edges of the plenum chamber 7 side wall 22 are spacedapart for the reception between them of the dispensing drawer formed bythe drawer front wall 32, parallel side walls 33, bottom wall 34 andback wall 26. The bottom Wall 34 of the drawer is slideable uponparallel runway members 3i secured to the bottom 23 of the plenumchamber adjacent to the side walls 33, and its back wall 26 isengageable with the flange 25 to limit outward sliding movement of thedrawer. The opening 35 in the storage chamber floor 24 permits materialto flow by gravity at all times from the main storage chamber to thedispensing drawer. The drawer is maintained in the open position shownin dot dash in Fig. '5 throughout dispensing use of the apparatus.

To the members 60 and 6!, below the front door, there are secured a pairof hinged wings 'CFig. 35) which, when the drawer is pulled outwardlymay be swung into a position so as to form upward extensions of the sidewalls 33 astshoum incfull in Fig. l and dotdash in Fig. 5, thusproviding an open topped dispensing receptacle having an efiective depthof substantially the height of theiront wall 32. One wing 10 .andjtsshinge ;l are shown in closed position :;in;Fig. 5. In prdertopartiallyguard theopen- 'ing below the front doorwhen athe ,wingsare in,open position, .a flap :13 ,iS pivotally supported ,to .the anglemember :63 :at 14 and it extends throughout the width of and, :partiallycloses the space between'thechannels ,8!) and 6| below the lower edge ofthe front floor.

thevupper rear portion of the main storage chamber 19 .a support 16 isprovided :ior alamp ;l:'l having a reflector 1,8, the lamp beingsupplied .Withcurrent by means of .a-suitable conductor, not shown. Thelamp 1! may, if desired, be solored so :as to impart .a :pleasing colorto the contents :of the cabinet, and, if desired, color changingarrangements may be used thereby to provide an attractive andinterest-arousing aefieot.

"The auxiliary storage chamber [at is remov- .ably supportedtransversely of the filling aperture 5.4:! whenthecoverlds .is in openposition as shcwniin ;the drawings. 'fIheauxiliary storage chamber isconstructed of an imperforate side wall consisting ;of the side wallmembers 8.3, Bl, :and i183, the imperforate cover member 34 and .;aperforate bottom wall consisting of the two slideable portions 185 and:85. The side wall :membersYBB, Bl, 8-2 and 88 are secured togetheratlthercorners o'i the chamberby welding soldering or sotherwise, andtheir top edges are rolled over abovea piece :of steel wire'8:'l. Eachof 'the hinges 18B is riveted or otherwise secured to the cover.18;4 andis pivotallyisecuredyabout the wire :81 by means of .an integral tubular-member ;8.9 through which :the :wire passes iloosely. The frontandsside edges 0f the cover-8A are provided with a flange-BB whichoverlaps the beadededge of the :side wall members, and the rear edge ofthe ooveriisr-provided with a rollededge 9! which provides-asubstantially air-tight joint with the corresponding rolled ledge vofthe back side member 31.

A horizontal flange 92 is bent inwardly from the lower edge :of the backside member 8! and thisfiange underlies the inner-end of the slideable:bottom wall portions 85 and 86 when they are in-closedposition (seeFig.5). "lnwardlyextending flanges 93 are provided integral with theside wall'end -members 8D :and 82 and these flanges form the abutmentshoulders 94 upon .which the auxiliary storage chamber is supported andtheir lower inwardly extending extremities also form part of the runwaysfor the slideable bottom wall members 85 and 86. A pair ofinwardly anddownwardly extending flanges 95 are secured in parallel spacedrelationship relative to the flanges 93 and they cooperate with theflanges 93 to form the outer runways for the bottom wall portions 85 and86. A transversely extending member 96, I-shaped in cross section,extends transversely of the bottom openingof the'auxiliary chamber andis secured to the flange 92 and the angle member l8! whichis providedbetween the flanges 93. This member 96 provides the runways for theadjacent inner edges of the slideable bottom wall members 85 and 86 asshown in Fig. 4. An upturned flange 98 is provided on the outer end ofeach slideable portion 85 and 86 and handles 99 are secured to theseupturned flanges, The flanges '98 limit inward sliding movement of thebottom wall portions 85 and 86.

Thus the members 99, 95 and 96 form a pair of parallel runways whichsupport the bottom wall members 85 and 86 for movement outwardly andinwardly vof the auxiliary storage chamber and the handles 99 may begrasped to effect such movement.

An angle member I 09 is secured to the inturned flange 92 of the backside wall member 8!. The angle member 16 forms a substantially air-tightseal with the front edge of the inturned flange 51 of the rear topmember 42 and the angle member .IBI forms a substantially air-tight sealwith the transversely extending member 62 (Fig. Accordingly, asubstantially air-tight seal is provided between the auxiliary storagechamber 46 andthe edges of the filling opening 41 of the main storagechamber.

Four legs 05 have their upper portions secured between the flanges 93and 95 and serve to support the auxiliary storage chamber 46 when it isremoved.

A pair of stop members H9 are secured to the slideable bottom walls 85and 86 and upon outward sliding movement of the bottom walls theupstanding portions'of the stop members engage the side wall 88 to limitsuch outward sliding movement.

In operation, the main storage chamber l9 of the dispensing apparatus issubstantially filled with popped corn, potato chips, or the like, eitherthrough the filling. opening 41 or through the front door 65 and theauxiliary storage chamber 46 is also filled with the same material.

The dispensing drawer may either be closed during the initial warmupperiod or it may be opened as shown in Fig. 1 and a cover of metal orthe like may be placed upon the opening provided by the top edges of thewings Hi and the top .edgeof the drawer front wall 32. I

The thermostat I4 is then set for the desired temperature which dependsupon the material to be dispensed. For use in dispensing popped com, thethermostat may be set for 120 F. The blower and the heating element arethen set in operation by throwing an appropriate switch or switches (notshown) and warm air is then delivered through the sleeve :2 intothe-plenum chamber 2| by the blower. This air is under slightlysuperatmospheric pressure and it passes upwardly through theperforations in the bottom chamber through the perforations in theslideable wall 24, upwardly through the flue 30, inwardly I through theperforations in the member 29 and also downwardly between the, deflector56 and the upper end of the member29. The warm air wall members and 86and thence to the auxiliary storage chamber 46.

As soon as the material in the main storage chamber has been heated tothe desired temperature, in the case of popped corn for example, fromabout to about F., the dispensing drawer is opened, or the cover isremoved from the top opening thereof, and the apparatus is then readyfor continuous use in dispensing the material to customers. During suchuse, the drawer is maintained in its outwardly extending position andthe warm air at slightly superatmospheric pressure passes downwardlyfrom the main storage chamber through the dispensing aperture 35 andoutwardly and upwardly through the popped corn or other material whichis confined within the side and front walls of the outwardly extendingportion of the dispensing drawer and thence to the atmosphere throughthe open top of the drawer. This diffuses to customers an odor of thematerial being dispensed and it also maintains the material warm andcrisp so that it may be served directly from the open portion of thedrawer.

The quantity of air which is introduced to the main storage chamber issufficient so that a supply of warm air is maintained in the auxiliarystorage chamber 46. As soon as the attendant notices that the quantityof material in the main storage chamber is becoming depleted he slidesthe bottom wall portions 85 and 86 outwardly and this causes thematerial in the auxiliary storage chamber to fall downwardly through thefilling aperture 41 to the main storage chamber. The bottom wallportions 85 and 86 are then slid inwardly of the auxiliary storagechamber and the auxiliary storage chamber is refilled with popped cornor other material as soon as the attendant has free time between sales.The refilling may be accomplished by merely lifting the cover 84 of theauxiliary storage chamber and without removing the auxiliary storagechamber 46 from the filling aperture 51.

While the auxiliary storage chamber has been illustrated as rectangularin horizontal section, it may be circular in horizontal section or anyother desired shape. Instead of being removable, it may be made integralwith the main storage chamber, in which event the cover 43 may beeliminated. The bottom wall of the auxiliary storage chamber may be madein one piece by eliminating the member 96 and utilizing the end runwaysfor the ends of the single slideable bottom member which is substitutedfor the members 85 and 86. It is unnecessary to have the entire bottomwall slideable and accordingly one or more slideable portions may beprovided in a bottom wall of the auxiliary storage chamber.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art thatI have provided apreserving and dispensing apparatus which may be operated by a singleattendant to provide a continuous supply of warm and crisp comestibles,that the apparatus is economical to manufacture and simple to operate,that it may be easily and cheaply installed in or combined withapparatus which are now or hereafter available on the market andthat-theapparatus may be tightly closed to prevent the entry of dust ordirt when not in use and to insure the circulation of warm air to theauxiliary storage chamber and through the material in the opendispensing drawer or receptacle wheninuse. I

chamber for the material to be dispfieti, a,

n storage I y av gigbitign et leaet which is slideab l e iiiwa'rdx andqgtwa rdly igf the auxi ary storage chamber, whe'rbjf jipqhputwaydsliding movemeht theref imelterial fall s dowfiweiidly by giavity fromthe @153 my sjiorga -gee chem ei thr 'ug'hjsaid fiiIihg apert re im' theiheiri ige chamber.

chamber for the material to be dispensed, a filling aperture at the topthereof and means operadownwardly by gravity from th auxiliary storage15 10 Number chamber through said filling aperture into the main storagechamber.

SAMUEL PINANSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,488,965 Wicker Apr. 1, 1924 1,766,846Thomas r June 24, 1930 1,780,649 Jacobs Nov. 4, 1930 2,109,597 RichesonMar. 1, 1938 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,441,250. May 11,1948.

SAMUEL PINANSKI It is hereby certified that error appears in the printedspecification of the above numbered patent requiring correction asfollows: Column 3, line 49, for the word fitting readfill'ing; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of July, A. D. 1948.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommissioner of Patents.

